The official Metal Gear Solid 4 thread

[Sudo]

I just finished the game, my completion time was 19:37:47. I can genuinely say with no exaggeration, that if no more games were to come out for the system that I would feel justified spending the $600 I did for my 60GB over a year ago just because I got to play this game. It's a masterpiece that wraps up every single loose end from the entire series. The game is in my top 5 games of all time; the only thing I didn't like was the fact that it ended at all.

[MarkMan]

I really loved my first playthrough with MGS4.

clocked in at a lil over 14 hours... fun times! I watched all the codecs/cgs, just went straight for the story. I'll be playing again over the weekend.

I think MGS4 is the easiest MGS game to date.

[heybtbm]

I hate to ask this...but...I must! GTAIV or MGS4!?!...keep in mind most of you just got MGS4, and have "over-hype itis".

Both are pinnacles of their respective genre's. They can't be compared directly against each other IMO. Any comparison would strictly be a personal preference between the two gameplay styles.

[carlcarlson]

So here's a dumb question: is it a bad idea to play 4 without having finished the first one and never having played 2 or 3? I don't have a ps3 so it's not like I'm going to run out and buy this today, but I don't own 2 or 3 and don't think I'll have the time/patience to play through those just so I can enjoy 4 one day.

I know MGS is really story-centric, so I'm guessing I already know the answer to my question.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

While the MGS series of games has always had a rather rigid "you'd really better learn how to use this before rushing out into combat" control scheme, which became increasingly more complex with MGS 3 and MGS 3 Subsistence ... I must say that I'm VERY impressed with how tight it is in MGS4 in terms of - if you DO know how to use it from previous games, there's not a whole lot of fumbling around having to deal with Snake not doing what you want him to.

(Though I still don't think that control scheme translates well to an online multiplayer game.)

While the game really hasn't opened up it's doors to new fans like Resident Evil did with it's 4th installment, I see no reason to call this one anything less than perfect from what I've played so far. Looking forward to finishing it, and not rushing through so I can savor every cut-scene and take in every bit of political and social commentary that Kojima throws in there.

[exit]

Well I picked the game up last night and so far I'm really impressed with it. I've heard complaints about how the game play has changed a bit, but considering one of the first things Snake says is "war has changed", I feel it's really appropriate based on the way the game starts out. The controls took me some time to get used to, which resulted in me really getting my ass handed to me in the beginning, but I' started to get the hang of things after awhile.

Oh and I hate Akiba, I wish him nothing but death.

I know MGS is really story-centric, so I'm guessing I already know the answer to my question.

You're exactly right, I'd recommend at least finishing MGS1, since some major characters and plot details from the first one come up again. MGS2 is short enough to do a quick play through and MGS3 is kind of the background story of Snake, I haven't even finish 3 tho since I sucked horribly at it.

[Eternal Tune]

I can't put my finger on it, but MGS 4 bothers me. Perhaps its because I'm finding it a lot more combat oriented then the others. Well at least during the Middle East section. I also find myself apologizing to Old Snake for making his stress level so high I'm pretty sure he's gonna have a heart attack. Or making him walk around hunched over until he starts smacking his back. "Hey, sorry about that" or " shit I better stop and relax under this barrel for a bit."

Also, one correction to what Oobgarm said. The game has five difficulty levels. The hardest is unlocked after finishing the first play through.

[Sudo]

So here's a dumb question: is it a bad idea to play 4 without having finished the first one and never having played 2 or 3? I don't have a ps3 so it's not like I'm going to run out and buy this today, but I don't own 2 or 3 and don't think I'll have the time/patience to play through those just so I can enjoy 4 one day.

I know MGS is really story-centric, so I'm guessing I already know the answer to my question.

I would absolutely recommend that you not play MGS 4 until you beat 1-3. Assuming you get an 80GB PS3, you should pick up the MGS Essentials Collection, which includes the first three games for $30.

[blissfulnoise]

I would absolutely recommend that you not play MGS 4 until you beat 1-3. Assuming you get an 80GB PS3, you should pick up the MGS Essentials Collection, which includes the first three games for $30.

Or watch the Metal Gear Retrospective on gametrailers. It's substantially cheaper and accomplishes much of the same.

[Chuplayer]

Or watch the Metal Gear Retrospective on gametrailers. It's substantially cheaper and accomplishes much of the same.

No, you need to play the games. Especially MGS2. You need to be taken for the ride before you can appreciate MGS4.

[Sudo]

Or watch the Metal Gear Retrospective on gametrailers. It's substantially cheaper and accomplishes much of the same.

I enjoyed the retrospectives, but they didn't go deep enough in the stories IMO, especially concerning MGS 2.

[Chuplayer]

MGO can blow me.

Seriously. I was shooting this guy who wasn't moving clean in the fucking neck, and he still was able to kill me. I couldn't have gotten the aim more perfect. I was ripping the jugulars out him for at least one second straight, and he still killed me. Ridiculous.

[exit]

Maybe Hideo's should go and make a survival horror game, because that Laughing Octopus was creepy as fuck, she scared the shit out of me a few times. It felt like something right out of Silent Hill, especially when you had to fight the Beauty, I forgot for a second that I was playing Metal Gear as I was trying to run away from her.

I think I found my new favorite Boss fight, it almost rivals Psycho Mantis as one of the most unexpected events in a game. Then again there are 3 more of them left, so maybe I shouldn't speak too soon.

[heybtbm]

No, you need to play the games. Especially MGS2. You need to be taken for the ride before you can appreciate MGS4.

Not at all. I can barely remember the plots of movies I've seen in the last few weeks, let alone a plot as convoluted as MGS2 from 6 years ago. A simple refresher course of the entire Metal Gear storyline from Wikipedia is good enough for me. I'm appreciating MGS4 just fine.

[Chuplayer]

Not at all. I can barely remember the plots of movies I've seen in the last few weeks, let alone a plot as convoluted as MGS2 from 6 years ago. A simple refresher course of the entire Metal Gear storyline from Wikipedia is good enough for me. I'm appreciating MGS4 just fine.

Then play MGS2 again. It's an emotional roller coaster, and if it has been six years for you, it should be almost completely fresh again. And if you thought MGS2 was convoluted, you ain't seen nothin' yet. MGS2 was wacky. MGS4 is the real convoluted storyline, but that doesn't keep it from being the greatest achievement in human history.

[blissfulnoise]

I just beat the game.

Hyperbole aside, it was pretty awesome. The story is a bit convoluted for it's own good, and a lot of the cinematics were way too long for the point they were getting across but I guess that was what kept the game length going.

16:49 was the total time with a total of 5 continues; nothing was skipped, not a single line of dialog. A little less than half of the total time was cinematics/codecs. This may be a good thing for you, or it may not.

Boss fights were overall weaker I thought in the series, but the cameo after fighting Screaming Mantis was pretty fucking awesome.

I do give this game a ton of credit for being one of the first "alternative" action games that actually lets you play how you want to play for the vast majority of the game. Its equally viable to go in guns blazing if your skill level is high enough than it is to sneak around. Now not all scenerios play out as well depending on which method you use, but for most of the game, the choice really is yours.

Strong game of the year contender, and certainly extremely technically impressive, but there just wasn't enough game in the game for it to be shoe-in game of the year.

And its just incorrect to set a precedent that you need to play the other three Solid games to play this one. If you're going to go that out, you might as well put Metal Gear, Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, and Metal Gear: Portable Ops in with the others as they're referenced almost as heavily.

Frankly, MGS4 does a pretty fantastic job of catching newcomers up to speed in a hurry by repeatedly breaking down all elements of the previous game and how they tie into the new one. Yes, the other Metal Gear Solid games are all fantastic (and they are, I've beaten every one of them at least once) and should be played for their own merits, but newbies won't be missing out on story by the truckload for jumping in now instead of earlier. Some injokes and a few asides will be missed, but simply reading up on the story briefly beforehand (or not even) and you’ll be just as confused as the rest of us.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I can't put my finger on it, but MGS 4 bothers me. Perhaps its because I'm finding it a lot more combat oriented then the others. Well at least during the Middle East section...

That's rather interesting, since I played through that entire section without actually killing anybody, and only getting spotted once or twice.

I think that Kojima has finally found the sweet spot in the "CHOOSE to fight or not fight" portion of the game this time around if users are finding this level of difference in a section. (Unless you just mean the level of combat going on AROUND Snake ... which is plentiful, and a nice change of pace considering the arc of the story.)

[carlcarlson]

Well I just won an auction for a ps2 that had the Essentials Collection. I decided I'd probably enjoy 4 more if I had actually played through the other three. Also, what is the difference between Snake Eater, Subsistence, and Substance? Which is the true "3"?

Thanks to everyone for your impressions so far. It sounds like I might actually have a reason to get a ps3 now.

MGS4 is the real convoluted storyline, but that doesn't keep it from being the greatest achievement in human history.

Ouch. I hope you were joking.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Well I just won an auction for a ps2 that had the Essentials Collection. I decided I'd probably enjoy 4 more if I had actually played through the other three. Also, what is the difference between Snake Eater, Subsistence, and Substance? Which is the true "3"?

Thanks to everyone for your impressions so far. It sounds like I might actually have a reason to get a ps3 now.



Ouch. I hope you were joking.

Substance is the "special" edition of MGS2 Sons of Liberty
Subsistence is the "special" edition of MGS3 Snake Eater

I actually preferred the standard versions of both, but Substance and Subsistence both have their fair share of nice extras.

[carlcarlson]

Substance is the "special" edition of MGS2 Sons of Liberty
Subsistence is the "special" edition of MGS3 Snake Eater

Ah ok, thanks for clearing that up. And Twin Snakes is the "special" edition of Metal Gear Solid 1 right? That's a whole lot of special. People rag on Square for all of the FF remakes, but this seems like a bit of overkill too, no?